Surplus rainfall of over 34% this month has reduced overall southwest monsoon deficiency in the current season till Sunday to 24% from close to 40% at the end of June, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) said on Sunday. Cumulative rainfall during June 1-July 5 according to the met department is over 24% below the benchmark longer period average (LPA), which is still in the ‘deficient’ range. Due to the ‘active’ phase of monsoon during the week over the rain-fed core zone of central India, the deficit in the region has been reduced to 14% from over 50% reported till end of June.